Ahh, the slippery slope… A good-bye from the heart, I knew it was time to say good-bye, it felt right. And then after a few weeks, a bit of nostalgia, and a sort of amnesia with it all, that I think, ok, just a few cigarettes for the night, and then I’ll throw away the pack. Let me see if I can transform the relationship I have with them… But one night becomes two nights, and two nights becomes three nights, and three nights becomes four nights. And before I know it, I’ve been drawn back into what I know oh- so very well. I come face to face with the inner-conflict once again. But this time, with a little more awareness.
And so I see there are the moments of conviction, when we say enough is enough, I am ready to let it go, I release it, I quit! But then there are all the moments that follow… That’s where the daily reminders of mind-body-spirit awareness come into practice. That’s when being aware of our triggers; stress, sadness, loneliness, anger, rejection, or whatever they are, that have the power to draw us back into what we know so well, can serve to remind us that we have the power to choose. We can slip back into our old ways or choose what is in accordance with our highest good. And so it’s about developing those practices that connect us to our mind-body-spirit, and doing them everyday. It’s a surrender to knowing ourselves, allowing ourselves to be led by our highest good, and trusting each step along the path… It certainly is a process, and if we remember to refrain from passing the judgment, guilt, and shame, and instead offer ourselves the compassion, understanding, and love that we would to our very best friend, so that when there are those moments when we slip down that slippery slope, we can come back up more readily and with less bruises.